Is Fifty the Perfect Age?

The perfect age for retirement is seen as 61

NEW YORK, N.Y. - September 12, 2013 - No pun intended, but it's the age old question - what is the perfect age? Is there a perfect age overall? A perfect age for having children or getting married? Obviously circumstances matter but, overall, the perfect age appears to be 50. It's an age many fear, but it's also the average age Americans would like to live at if they could skip time and live forever in good health at a particular age.

These are some of the results of The Harris Poll of 2,242 adults surveyed online between July 17 and 22, 2013 by Harris Interactive.

Interestingly, when The Harris Poll asked this question ten years ago, the answer was almost ten years less: in 2003, the perfect age was 41. The perfect age also varies depending on how old one currently is, as younger generations want to be a little older while older generations are fine where they are. For Echo Boomers (those 18-36) the perfect age is 38, while for Generation X (those 37-48) the perfect age is 49. Baby Boomers (those 49-67) are happy in the mid-fifties, as 55 is their perfect age. For the oldest generation, Matures (those 68+), 67 is perfect for them.

There has always been a stereotype that women lie about their age. But, men say their perfect age is 47 compared to women's 53. There is also a regional difference: for Easterners 53 is the perfect age, and it is 51 for those in the South. In the Midwest, the perfect age is 50 and for those in the West, it goes down to 47. Having children at home or not also makes a difference: for those with a child in the household the perfect age is 45, while for those without it is 53.

Interestingly, there are also political differences. First, by party Republicans and Democrats actually agree on something: for those in either party, the perfect age is 53. But for Independents the perfect age is 46. Differences by political philosophy appear to follow a scale - either the more conservative you are the more your perfect age goes up, or the more liberal you are the more your perfect age goes down! For conservatives it is 53, for moderates it is 51 and for liberals, the perfect age is 46.

The perfect age for various life events

Each life event has an age that can be associated with it. But is it the perfect age? According to U.S. adults' averaged responses, the perfect age for graduating from college is 22; however, but one-third (34%) believe it should be between 23 and 25. Moving out and getting married are two other life events that happen at a younger age, but how young? Americans believe the perfect age to move out of your parents' house is 20 and the perfect age to get married is 26.

Many life events revolve around children. First there's actually having them, and on average, Americans believe the perfect age to have a first child is 28. Then it's time to be an empty-nester, and the perfect age for having your last child move out is 45.

Finally, it is time to retire and, while 65 may be considered the stereotypical age to do so, for U.S. adults, the perfect age to retire is actually a little younger - 61.

"If you could skip time and live forever in good health at a particular age, what age would you like to live at?"

Base: All U.S. adults

Total 2003

Total

2013

Generation

Gender

Child in Household

Echo

Boomers

(18-36)

Gen X.

(37-48)

Baby

Boomers

(49-67)

Matures

(68+)

Men

Women

Yes

No

%

%

%

%

%

%

%

%

%

%

Under 20

4

3

4

1

2

1

3

2

5

2

20-29

28

27

55

26

12

2

30

23

35

23

30-39

29

23

20

29

27

15

25

22

23

23

40-49

15

12

3

14

17

14

10

13

9

13

50-59

7

6

1

2

8

17

6

6

2

8

60+

20

30

18

26

33

50

25

33

26

31

Average Age (Mean)

41

50

38

49

55

67

47

53

45

53

Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding

TABLE 1A

PERFECT AGE - By Region, Political Party and Political Philosophy

"If you could skip time and live forever in good health at a particular age, what age would you like to live at?"

Base: All U.S. adults

Total

2013

Region

Political Party

Political Philosophy

East

Midwest

South

West

Rep.

Dem.

Ind.

Cons.

Mod.

Lib.

%

%

%

%

%

%

%

%

%

%

%

Under 20

3

3

2

3

3

3

2

2

3

2

3

20-29

27

21

29

28

27

22

25

32

2

27

31

30-39

23

26

20

22

26

22

23

25

22

24

25

40-49

12

10

12

12

13

11

13

11

11

11

15

50-59

6

5

8

5

6

7

5

7

8

6

3

60+

30

34

30

29

26

35

31

23

33

30

23

Average Age (Mean)

50

53

50

51

47

53

53

46

53

51

46

Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding

TABLE 2

PERFECT AGE FOR GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE

"Thinking of the following life events, what do you believe the perfect age is for each to happen? Even if one of these life events is not something you are planning on doing personally, please provide what you believe the perfect age would be.

Graduating from college"

Base: All U.S. adults

Total

Generation

Echo

Boomers

(18-36)

Gen X.

(37-48)

Baby

Boomers

(49-67)

Matures

(68+)

%

%

%

%

%

0-17

2

3

1

2

2

18-22

59

57

58

59

65

23-25

34

33

37

34

31

26-30

4

6

4

3

2

31+

1

*

1

1

*

Average Age (Mean)

22

22

23

23

22

Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding; * indicates less than 0.5%

TABLE 3

PERFECT AGE FOR MOVING FROM YOUR PARENTS' HOUSE

"Thinking of the following life events, what do you believe the perfect age is for each to happen? Even if one of these life events is not something you are planning on doing personally, please provide what you believe the perfect age would be.

Moving from your parents' house"

Base: All U.S. adults

Total

Generation

Echo

Boomers

(18-36)

Gen X.

(37-48)

Baby

Boomers

(49-67)

Matures

(68+)

%

%

%

%

%

0-17

3

5

3

3

2

18-22

75

69

73

79

81

23-25

19

22

22

16

16

26-30

3

4

2

2

1

31+

*

-

-

*

*

Average Age (Mean)

20

20

21

20

21

Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding; * indicates less than 0.5% and "-" indicates no response

TABLE 4

PERFECT AGE FOR GETTING MARRIED

"Thinking of the following life events, what do you believe the perfect age is for each to happen? Even if one of these life events is not something you are planning on doing personally, please provide what you believe the perfect age would be.

Getting married"

Base: All U.S. adults

Total

Generation

Echo

Boomers

(18-36)

Gen X.

(37-48)

Baby

Boomers

(49-67)

Matures

(68+)

%

%

%

%

%

0-17

2

3

1

2

1

18-22

10

7

9

11

18

23-25

37

31

30

39

50

26-30

44

51

53

40

28

31+

7

7

7

8

3

Average Age (Mean)

26

26

28

26

25

Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding

TABLE 5

PERFECT AGE FOR HAVING A FIRST CHILD

"Thinking of the following life events, what do you believe the perfect age is for each to happen? Even if one of these life events is not something you are planning on doing personally, please provide what you believe the perfect age would be.

Having a first child"

Base: All U.S. adults

Total

Generation

Echo

Boomers

(18-36)

Gen X.

(37-48)

Baby

Boomers

(49-67)

Matures

(68+)

%

%

%

%

%

0-17

2

3

1

3

2

18-22

5

3

5

6

5

23-30

69

71

67

66

76

31+

24

23

27

25

17

Average Age (Mean)

28

28

29

28

27

Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding

TABLE 6

PERFECT AGE FOR HAVING YOUR LAST CHILD MOVE OUT

"Thinking of the following life events, what do you believe the perfect age is for each to happen? Even if one of these life events is not something you are planning on doing personally, please provide what you believe the perfect age would be.

Having your last child move out."

Base: All U.S. adults

Total

Generation

Echo

Boomers

(18-36)

Gen X.

(37-48)

Baby

Boomers

(49-67)

Matures

(68+)

%

%

%

%

%

0-30

17

13

13

19

25

31-40

9

5

8

12

12

41-50

44

48

45

40

40

51-60

28

32

32

27

21

61+

2

2

3

2

1

Average Age (Mean)

45

46

47

44

42

Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding

TABLE 7

PERFECT AGE FOR RETIRING

"Thinking of the following life events, what do you believe the perfect age is for each to happen? Even if one of these life events is not something you are planning on doing personally, please provide what you believe the perfect age would be.

Retiring"

Base: All U.S. adults

Total

Generation

Echo

Boomers

(18-36)

Gen X.

(37-48)

Baby

Boomers

(49-67)

Matures

(68+)

%

%

%

%

%

0-50

9

12

10

9

3

51-60

35

41

34

33

26

61-64

12

8

8

17

14

65

27

22

35

25

31

66-70

13

13

8

12

20

71-7

2

2

2

2

4

76+

2

2

4

2

3

Average Age (Mean)

61

60

62

61

64

Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding

Methodology

This Harris Poll was conducted online within the United States between July 17 to 22, 2013 among 2,242 adults (aged 18 and over). Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online.

All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to multiple sources of error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including sampling error, coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments. Therefore, Harris Interactive avoids the words "margin of error" as they are misleading. All that can be calculated are different possible sampling errors with different probabilities for pure, unweighted, random samples with 100% response rates. These are only theoretical because no published polls come close to this ideal.

Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Harris Interactive surveys. The data have been weighted to reflect the composition of the adult population. Because the sample is based on those who agreed to participate in the Harris Interactive panel, no estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

The results of this Harris Poll may not be used in advertising, marketing or promotion without the prior written permission of Harris Interactive.

Harris Interactive is one of the world's leading market research firms, leveraging research, technology, and business acumen to transform relevant insight into actionable foresight. Known widely for the Harris Poll® and for pioneering innovative research methodologies, Harris offers proprietary solutions in the areas of market and customer insight, corporate brand and reputation strategy, and marketing, advertising, public relations and communications research. Harris possesses expertise in a wide range of industries including health care, technology, public affairs, energy, telecommunications, financial services, insurance, media, retail, restaurant, and consumer package goods. Additionally, Harris has a portfolio of multi-client offerings that complement our custom solutions while maximizing our client's research investment. Serving clients in more than 196 countries and territories through our North American and European offices, Harris specializes in delivering research solutions that help us - and our clients - stay ahead of what's next. For more information, please visit www.harrisinteractive.com.